2006 BMW R1200 RT Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BMW R1200 RT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKING OVER THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V617000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE). THE CONTACT CALLED BMW MOTORCYCLES MCDONOUGH (LOCATED AT 755 INDUSTRIAL BLVD, MCDONOUGH, GA 30253, (770) 957-7404) AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE MOTORCYCLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,109. *LN CONSUMER STATED THIS ISSUE WAS ADDRESSED ONCE IN RECALL 13V617 IN 2014. REPAIR HISTORY INDICATES MY BIKE WAS CHECKED FOR THIS ISSUE BUT THERE IS NO INFORMATION ON WHETHER REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. GIVEN THE INFORMATION IN THE TECHNICAL DOCUMENT, EITHER THE PUMP WAS REPLACED ENTIRELY OR THERE WAS NOTHING DONE. NO METAL REINFORCING RING WAS PLACED ON THE FUEL PUMP, SO EITHER THE PUMP WAS REPLACED WITH ANOTHER FAULTY PUMP OR NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THIS RECALL WAS NOT ADDRESSED ON MY BIKE EVEN THOUGH THE BIKE WAS CHECKED. I AM HAVING THE EXACT ISSUE MENTIONED FOR SIEMENS FUEL PUMPS IN BMW MOTORCYCLES UNDER THE RECALL. PHOTOS, FUEL LEAK NHTSA INVESTIGATION, AND 2006 BMW REPAIR HISTORY ATTACHED.*JB

THE FUEL STRIP THAT READS GASOLINE LEVEL IS DEFECTIVE. FIRST REPAIR LASTED LESS THAN 200 MILES. RECENT REPLACEMENT FAILED AS I MADE THE TURN OUT OF THE DEALERSHIP FROM THE LAST REPAIR.

WHILE DRIVING SOUTHBOUND ON I-79 NEAR PITTSBURGH AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH THE REAR UNIVERSAL JOINT LET GO. THIS CAUSED THE MOTORCYCLE REAR WHEEL TO INTERMITTENTLY LOCK UP AND RELEASE. THE UNIVERSAL HAS NO MEANS TO LUBRICATE IT AND NO NOISE OR VIBRATION WAS HEARD OR FELT BEFORE FAILURE.

AS I WAS DECELERATING FOR A TURN I FELT A SHUDDER AND HEARD A GRINDING NOISE AND LOST REAR WHEEL BRAKING. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND UPON EXAMINATION OF THE REAR WHEEL DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR BRAKE DISC WAS SEPARATED FROM THE BRAKE MOUNTING FLANGE. EACH OF THE FIVE MOUNTING HOLES HAD FAILED AND ALLOWED THE DISC TO SEPARATE. THE REAR WHEEL IS ALSO BOLTED TO THIS FLANGE. SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH HAS REVEALED THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM. MY FEELING IS THAT THIS TYPE FAILURE COULD CAUSE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE SINCE IT INVOLVES A FAILURE AT SPEED AND RELATES TO THE REAR WHEEL AND REAR BRAKE MOUNTING FLANGE. DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE! *TR

WHILE CHANGING MY REAR BRAKES, I NOTICED THAT THE REAR SPACER FLANGE THAT ATTACHES THE WHEEL TO THE ROTOR IS CRACKED IN 3 DIFFERENT MOUNTING AREAS. I DO NOT RIDE OFF ROAD OR OTHERWISE ABUSE THE BIKE. *TR

AS I WAS TRAVELING AT 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY I FELT MY MOTORCYCLE ALL OF A SUDDEN WOBBLE AND LOST CONTROL. I STRUGGLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE MOTORCYCLE AND WAS ABLE TO BRING THE MOTORCYCLE TO A STOP BY THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. IT APPEARED MY FINAL DRIVE (TRANSMISSION ) HAD FAILED PREMATURELY. THERE WERE OIL FROM THE FINAL DRIVE SPLATTERED ALL OVER MY REAR WHEEL. THIS WAS A FREIGHTING EXPERIENCE AND COULD HAVE RESULTANT IN SERIOUS INJURY TO ME BECAUSE OF A PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE FINAL DRIVE. *TR

FUEL LEAK: THE PLASTIC AROUND THE FUEL PUMP OUTPUT FITTING IS CRACKED AND LEAKING. MY LEFT LEG WAS COVERED IN GASOLINE AS WELL AS MY LEFT FAIRING. *TR

WHILE RIDING MY BIKE ON 280 SOUTH, I HAD TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP. THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP, & THE BIKE'S REAR SLID OUT. THE ABS WAS INOPERATIVE, DUE TO A FAULTY ABS MODULATOR. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, WHICH BMW IS WELL AWARE OF. THEY REFUSE TO HAVE A FACTORY RECALL ON THIS PART. *JS

I WAS CRUISING ALONG ON MY BMW R1200 RT AT THE 70MPH SPEED LIMIT WHEN ALL THE SUDDEN THE BRAKE FAILURE LIGHT FLASHED REPEATEDLY ON THE DASH, ALONG WITH A RED WARNING TRIANGLE. I IMMEDIATELY LOOK FOR THE NEXT EXIT, BUT BEFORE I GET TO THE EXIT, I ENCOUNTER A HEAVY RAIN. WHEN I TRY TO SLOW THE BIKE, THE BRAKES ARE NUMB, AND VERY DIFFICULT TO PRESS. THIS CAUSES AN IMMEDIATE PANIC, BUT I'M ABLE TO SLOW THE BIKE AFTER A VERY LONG INTERVAL. I PARK THE BIKE AND READ THE OWNERS MANUAL ABOUT THE FAILURE. IT IS DESCRIBED AS A SERIOUS FAILURE WHICH WILL CAUSE THE SERVO ASSIST TO BE DEACTIVATED, BUT THE BIKE IS STILL RIDEABLE. SINCE I WAS OVER 300 MILES FROM HOME, I ATTEMPTED TO MANAGE THE PROBLEM AS THE MANUAL RECOMMENDED. THE BIKE IS BASICALLY UNRIDEABLE AND NOT CONTROLLABLE WHEN THIS ERROR APPEARS. THERE IS NO WAY TO CONTROL YOUR STOP, AND THIS IS NOTHING LIKE JUST LOSING YOUR ABS, AND HAVING TO RESORT TO REGULAR BRAKES. THIS IS LIKE HAVING ABOUT 30% OF YOUR BRAKES AVAILABLE! WHICH IS TERRIFYING. I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED THIS WAY,OR WHY BMW WOULD SUGGEST IT'S OKAY TO CONTINUE TO RIDE IN THIS MANNER. I FELT LIKE MY CHANCES OF BEING IN AN ACCIDENT WERE INCREASED BY 120%. THIS BRAKING SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS. SO MUCH SO, THAT I FOUND OUT THAT BMW DISCONTINUED ITS USE AFTER THE 2006 PRODUCTION AND WENT WITH A TOTALLY NEW SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM WAS ONLY USED FOR 2 YEARS ON THE R1200RT. I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHY THIS SYSTEM WASN'T RECALLED, AND WHAT BMW KNOWS ABOUT THE FAILURE POTENTIAL. MAYBE THAT'S WHY THEY DISCONTINUED IT. I FELT MY LIFE WAS PUT IN DANGER BY RIDING THIS MOTORCYCLE. BMW SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THANKS. *TR

IN-TANK FUEL PUMP LEAKS FUEL AT THREADED CONNECTION TO OUTLET QUICK-RELEASE FITTING. I PURCHASED AND INSTALLED A REINFORCEMENT CLAMP MADE BY A THIRD-PARTY SUPPLIER AND REINSTALLED THE QUICK-RELEASE FITTING WITH A FUEL-RESISTANT THREAD SEALANT, BUT THE FITTING STILL LEAKS. I'LL TRY ADHESIVE INSTEAD, ON THE ADVICE OF OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. FUEL LEAKS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE ON ANY VEHICLE, PARTICULARLY NOT ON A SUPPOSEDLY HIGH-QUALITY MOTORCYCLE. *TR